Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Ward’s babies drill for stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Wesley Ward spent Friday morning at Saratoga preparing a pair of 2-year-olds for graded stakes engagements here next weekend. The workouts were strikingly different.
Mucho Amor, a debut winner at Keeneland on April 26, worked four furlongs over the Oklahoma training track in 47.55 seconds, the fastest of 48 moves at the distance. She is preparing for next Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs.
Ward created a race-like scenario for Mucho Amor, starting her two lengths behind stablemates Fooch and Timely. Under Joel Rosario, Mucho Amor split those two maidens in the stretch and finished in front at the wire.
“I was really, really impressed with today’s work,” Ward said. “I wanted to tighten her right down, and I think we did. She’s a big filly with a big, long stride. I worked her a couple of times on the grass, and she didn’t particularly care for that. We stepped it up on dirt.”
A short while later, Ward put Stage Left on the Oklahoma turf course for a workout ahead of the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special, scheduled for 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt next Sunday.
Stage Left, a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Midnight Bisou who won his debut at Keeneland on April 25, worked four furlongs in 51.21 seconds in company with the unstarted Tapizar’s Secret.
“I broke his maiden with him early, backed off on him, and pointed to run him in this race,” Ward said. “I’d like to maybe sit back and make a run was my plan with him – teach him something. I don’t know if he’s going to be good enough to win that race, but I don’t want him to shoot to the front.”
Ward said he also wanted to see how Stage Left would handle turf, and he said he was pleasantly surprised with how well he did.
The Saratoga Special field is expected to include Call Paul, Lutsky, Meade, Spinoff, Stage Left, and Tight Ten. Sniper Show is possible.
The Adirondack is expected to draw Lyrical Lady, Mucho Amor, Sue’s Fortune, Virginia Eloise, and possibly Nonna Madeline and Tijori.
Virginia Eloise, a five-length debut winner at Belmont on July 4, worked five furlongs in 1:01.88 over the Oklahoma training track Friday. She went in company with Good Good, a debut-winning colt at Gulfstream on June 30.
Nonna Madeline, second in the Grade 3 Schuylerville on opening day, went four furlongs in 49.00 seconds with Lemonist.
Dream Pauline eyes Prioress
The regally bred Dream Pauline is likely headed to the Grade 2, $250,000 Prioress Stakes here on Sept. 2 after winning a first-level allowance here Thursday by two lengths.
Dream Pauline, a daughter of Tapit out of the Grade 1 winner Dream Rush – making her a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Dreaming of Julia – was making her first start since Dec. 3, when she won first out at Aqueduct.
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Dream Pauline had some “little issues” that forced him to take her out of training in early January. She resumed regular training in May and had eight breezes for her return.
“It was a great effort. [Assistant] Joe Lee and team have done a great job with her at Belmont,” McLaughlin said. “We left her there until the day of the race because with so much rain up here and all the action around the barn, we thought she was doing great there.”
Dream Pauline, a homebred filly owned by Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stable, got a perfect inside stalking trip under Javier Castellano. Dream Pauline ran six furlongs in 1:09.52 and earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.
Long On Value injures foot
Long On Value was forced to miss Sunday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Troy Handicap due to “a foot issue,” trainer Brad Cox said.
“He needs a little time,” Cox said.
Long On Value, a 7-year-old gelding owned by Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables, is coming off a neck victory in the Grade 1 Highlander Stakes at Woodbine.
Cox said that depending on how quickly Long On Value gets over his foot problem, he could be pointed to the Woodbine Mile on Sept. 15 or the Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes going six furlongs at Woodbine on Oct. 13.
◗ Voodoo Song, who scratched out of Saturday’s $100,000 Lure Stakes, worked five furlongs in 1:00.76 on Friday over the Oklahoma turf course. He is likely going to run in next Saturday’s Grade 1 Fourstardave.